Some stakeholders in the nation’s legal system have called for increased public awareness campaign for the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015.
The stakeholders made the call on Thursday in Benin during an inaugural meeting of the Edo working group on accountable governance, justice and security project.
The event was organised by Cleen Foundation and Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOSCO) to promote accountability and collaboration in the criminal justice system.
Members of the group were drawn from the justice sector, anti-corruption agencies, Nigerian police and civil society organisations.
Mr Benson Olugbuo, the Executive Director of the foundation, regretted that the criminal justice system was faced with numerous challenges, in spite of the passage of the Act.
Olugbuo, who was represented by the Assistant Programme Manager of the foundation, Oluwole Ojewale, identified unlawful arrests and inhuman treatment of suspects as part of the constraints.
He further identified the prohibition of arrest over civil cases, mandatory inventory of property, recording of arrest, and Establishment of a Police Central Criminal Records Registry as areas of the Act that needed urgent improvement.
He said that about 26 states of the federation had so far domesticated the Administration of Criminal Justice Act.
Also speaking, a legal practitioner, Mr Dele Igbinedion, said that concerted efforts must be made to fight corruption through the instrumentality of the Act in Edo.
He underscored the need for security agents to comply with the Act, while advocating other ways of improvement of the law.
